Flu strikes NZ care home Six residents at an aged care home in New Zealand died within a 10-day period after displaying “influenza-like symptoms”, reports Waikato Times. Te Whatu Ora – Health New Zealand – was notified of the outbreak at the Whitianga aged residential care facility on New Zealand’s North Island on 28 January. The centre is managed by Oceania Healthcare, which released a statement following the deaths: “It is with sadness that we confirm six of our residents at our Whitianga Care Centre passed away between January 28 and February 8 as a result of the influenza virus.” State pl ..read more

While calling it “disappointing and concerning” the aged care provider peak body has backed the government’s proposal to phase in the next stage of wage increases from next year for viability and administrative reasons in a submission to the Fair Work Commission. Aged & Community Care Providers Association chief executive officer Tom Symondson told Australian Ageing Agenda: “It would be irresponsible for us to take a position to the Fair Work Commission which supports a start date for the increases that is not linked to the commencement of additional funding.” The three unions involved in ..read more

Can you tell us about your professional background? I studied commerce at Flinders University in South Australia and worked as an accountant for about 20 years. My last finance role was chief financial officer at TLC Healthcare, where I spent five years. In 2012 I became chief executive officer of Provider Assist, which provided amazing industry access. I’ve been CEO of Homestyle Aged Care since 2014. I’ve recently left the board of the Australian Centre for the Prevention of Cervical Cancer after almost 12 years, the last few as chair. Each role has helped me become a better leader and person ..read more

The team at aged care and retirement living provider Ryman Healthcare has walked away with a handful of prizes from the Asia Pacific Eldercare Innovation Awards in Singapore among many successful entrants from down under Australia including the head of the sector’s peak body. The international awards took place during the World Ageing Festival – which attracted 5,000 people to foster global knowledge, collaboration and partnerships. Ryman Healthcare – which offers a continuum of care model – picked up the operator of the year award in both the ageing in place and assisted living categories. It ..read more

The home support sector should be working together in a positive way to design the future that it believes will better meet the needs of older people, says an expert. The sector has been sitting back and waiting for the government to announce the details of Support at Home program, said Kathy Eager – an Adjunct Professor of Health Services Research at the University of New South Wales and Queensland University of Technology. Commonwealth Home Support Program stakeholders should not do the same, she said. “The message for CHSP providers is that we should all be working together to think of a mo ..read more

Veronica Jamison’s career in health and aged care was very nearly derailed – twice. Having worked as a nursing assistant in an aged care home at the age of 19 – “It was a lovely experience while it lasted,” Jamison says – the chief executive officer of aged care provider Shepparton Villages set her heart on being a registered nurse. “I got talked out of being a nurse – I always wanted to be an RN. I found my way into hotel management instead.” The detour into hospitality was short lived. Jamison tells Australian Ageing Agenda: “I soon found my way back to the social assistance sector working i ..read more

A lack of any information about the government’s response to the Aged Care Taskforce report has topped the disappointment list for aged care stakeholders with insufficient additional home care packages coming in second. In a nutshell, this week’s budget includes $2.2 billion in new funding for aged care. Most of that is going to pay for upgrades to technology systems and digital infrastructure across the sector to sustain current systems and make the new Aged Care Act and home support programs possible ($1.4 billion). About a quarter of it is going to 24,000 additional home care packages ($531 ..read more

New South Wales aged care and retirement living provider Uniting has received the green light for a $99 million independent living village collocated with its three-year old award-winning aged care home in Emu Plains in Sydney’s west. The plans include redeveloping the 50-year-old Edinglassie Village to feature 147 independent living apartments across five buildings. Among the one, two and three-bedroom units, 43 units (29 per cent) will be available as affordable housing for seniors. It follows the 2021 completion of aged care home Uniting Edinglassie – which won the 2022 UDIA NSW Award for E ..read more

The board of Queensland aged care and retirement living provider Sundale has appointed experienced property and retirement living leader Cameron Taylor as its new chief executive officer. Mr Taylor comes to the role after more than four years at affordable seniors’ accommodation provider Eureka Group Holdings. He was CEO there for the last two-and-half as CEO, where he oversaw the repositioning and expansion of the business. Prior to that he held lead property roles at Woolworths Group and Flight Centre Travel Group. Mr Taylor said he was excited to join Sundale – a not-for-profit business on ..read more

The long-awaited decision by the independent workplace tribunal on the aged care work value case divides the sector’s staff into two distinct groups – the haves and the have-nots. Chris Mamarelis “It says we are valuing one group of employees over another,” said Chris Mamarelis – chief executive officer of New South Wales and Queensland regional and rural aged care provider Whiddon. A summary of the stage three decision by the Fair Work Commission released on 15 March determined non-direct care residential aged care workers receive a pay rise of between 3 and 7 per cent. Their direct care coun ..read more